After ninety-nine online romances, I finally met my ex in person when school started.

Zhu Xun Chuan jolted awake, his shirt back already soaked with cold sweat. He forced a smile and bowed slightly: "Greetings, Director Shen. I was taken aback by your imposing presence just now; I was truly rude."

Shen Shuzhu put down her teacup, her eyes darting around, her peach blossom eyes greedily sweeping over Zhu Xunchuan's face, finally settling on the extremely hidden bloodstain mark on his neck—a mark left by Lu Nianxi.

"Aura? I think Zhu Xun Chuan isn't intimidated by me, he's just feeling guilty, isn't he?" Shen Shu Zhu's lips curled up in a playful smile as she walked gracefully to Zhu Xun Chuan.

A faint, lingering scent of black datura wafted over.

Meng Wanqing didn't suspect anything and smiled as she smoothed things over: "Auntie, he's a freshman in college, don't try to scare him like you would a criminal."

"How could I bear to interrogate him?" Shen Shuzhu walked around Zhu Xunchuan, her long legs in gray stockings peeking out from under the hem of her cheongsam. She finally stopped on his right, her voice lower and more seductive. "Zhu Xunchuan's face... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. Especially his eyebrows and eyes, they remind me of someone who used to bully me in my dreams two years ago... a heartless little brat."

Zhu Xun Chuan's throat went dry: "Director Shen is really joking. Two years ago, I was still preparing for the exam back in my hometown."

"Really?" Shen Shuzhu chuckled, then suddenly changed the subject. "I have a quirk: I always like to talk about literature with smart people. Zhu, what do you think of Gu Kuang's poem 'Seeking a Monk'? Especially the line 'If you understand affection, seek Xiao Xiao'."

boom!

The last shred of hope in Zhu Xun Chuan's mind was completely shattered.

This isn't a literary exchange, this is a public execution! Oh no, what a coincidence! I was too lenient online back then!

What goes around comes around!

Meng Wanqing was somewhat surprised: "Auntie, why are you suddenly talking about such obscure poetry? He's a freshman, how would he know anything about this?"

"He understands." In the instant they passed each other, Shen Shuzhu's soft, boneless hand subtly hooked between Zhu Xun Chuan's fingers, her fingertips carrying a cool touch. Her voice was as soft as water, "Zhu, what do you think?"

Zhu Xun Chuan realized that his "sweet tea" aunt had confirmed his identity.

If I back down on the territory of my ancestor Meng Wanqing, I will surely die today.

Instead, he calmed down. His Aquaman instincts made him quickly activate the [Hormonal Intimidation Aura], and his previously somewhat awkward posture instantly became relaxed and arrogant.

He turned his head, his gaze meeting Shen Shuzhu's affectionate eyes, his tone calm yet carrying a dangerous ambiguity: "Xiaoxiao may be affectionate, but the Su family is hard to find. Aunt, the poem is a good poem, but unfortunately, the person who read it back then may not have been thinking about the deep green willows, but about some... unspeakable places."

Shen Shuzhu was stunned.

She thought the guy would be so scared that he would kneel down and beg for mercy, but she didn't expect him to dare to take the initiative and use the metaphors they used when they flirted in a private channel to retaliate against her.

"Interesting." A strong excitement flashed in Shen Shuzhu's eyes, the look of a hunter seeing his desired prey.

She turned her head, took Meng Wanqing's hand, seemingly doting, but her eyes remained fixed on Zhu Xunchuan: "Wanqing, your boyfriend is more resilient than I imagined. I like him very much."

"What good is it if you like him? He's mine." Meng Wanqing declared domineeringly, then wrapped her arms around Zhu Xunchuan's arm, pressing her ample bosom against his arm to assert her ownership.

Seeing the two being so affectionate, Shen Shuzhu's smile grew even brighter, and her voice became even sweeter: "Don't rush, there will be a family banquet later, and I have to attend too. I'll let your uncle and the others get to know this Zhu classmate properly then."

For the next hour, Zhu Xunchuan felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

Meng Wanqing and Shen Shuzhu chatted about the Shen family's private affairs in Shanghai. Zhu Xunchuan occasionally chimed in with a few words, and Shen Shuzhu would respond with an extremely alluring gaze, then, out of Meng Wanqing's sight, silently mouth something to Zhu Xunchuan:

"Little liar."

Zhu Xun Chuan could only lower his head and drink his tea, thinking to himself that this was not meeting the parents at Hujiang, but rather entering a wolf's den.

Before they left, Shen Shuzhu personally escorted them to the museum entrance.

"Zhu, there's an internal lecture at the museum tomorrow about 'Internet Addiction and Adolescent Psychology.' You must come and listen if you have time, after all..." Shen Shuzhu leaned close to Zhu Xunchuan's ear, her childlike voice becoming soft and her breath sweet, "It's rare to see someone like you who can get people addicted to the internet."

Meng Wanqing didn't hear the whispers, but she saw Shen Shuzhu grinning from ear to ear.

Once inside the car, the Hongqi H9 drove away from the museum.

Meng Wanqing let out a long sigh, slumped back in her chair, crossed her long, black-stockinged legs, and curved them into a stunning smile: "You little rascal, not bad, you actually managed to make my aunt so happy. You have no idea, she's notoriously sharp-tongued when it comes to men."

Zhu Xun Chuan wiped the sweat from his palms and said with a wry smile, "Are you sure she's happy, and not plotting to bury me alive?"

"What are you thinking about?" Meng Wanqing leaned over and kissed him on the lips. "Let's go, next stop, the Shen family's old house. My dad is waiting for us there."

Looking out the window at the bustling night view of Shanghai, Zhu Xunchuan felt utterly hopeless.

Zhu Xun Chuan closed his eyes, his mind filled with the look in Shen Shu Zhu's eyes just now.

That wasn't the look of an aunt looking at her nephew-in-law; it was the greed of a demon seeing Tang Sanzang's flesh and wanting to devour him whole, skin and bones, on the spot.

Moreover, this aunt wields considerable power.

The car stopped in front of the heavy vermilion gate of the Shen family's old residence.

Meng Wanqing helped Zhu Xunchuan out of the car. Two bodyguards in black, standing ramrod straight, immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing Meng Wanqing.

On the steps not far away, Shen Shuzhu had changed into a dark green silk cheongsam, holding a small folding fan in her hand, and was looking at them with a half-smile.

"Wanqing, go to the backyard and play chess with your grandfather." Shen Shuzhu walked over, fanning herself with a folding fan. Her childlike voice sounded particularly abrupt in the quiet old house. "It's Xiao Zhu's first time back. I'll take him for a walk in the garden, and while we're at it... chat about Gu Kuang."

Meng Wanqing didn't suspect anything. She released Zhu Xunchuan, told him to "be good," and then turned and went into the backyard.

The door slowly closed.

In the veranda of the Shen family's old mansion, only Zhu Xunchuan and his aunt, who had a baby voice, remained.

Shen Shuzhu's gentle expression vanished instantly, replaced by an almost obsessive madness. She abruptly closed her folding fan, forcing Zhu Xunchuan to the red-lacquered pillar of the veranda.

"Zhu Xunchuan."

Her voice was as soft as glutinous rice, but her hand precisely grabbed his tie and pulled it down.

"Two years ago, on that rainy night, you said in the voice channel that you would marry no one but me, that I was the only 'Xun Chuan' brother you would ever love in your life... Have you forgotten?"

Zhu Xun Chuan leaned against the cold pillar, looking at the exquisitely beautiful face in front of him, and suddenly smiled.

He reached out and boldly wrapped his arms around the slender waist of the eldest daughter of the Shen family, pulling her tightly into his embrace.

Their chests collided.

"Auntie, that was online dating two years ago. Can online dating really be considered real?"

"Whether it counts or not, it's up to me to decide." Shen Shuzhu stared at him, lightly licking her red lips with the tip of her tongue, her baby voice becoming extremely seductive, "If you dare to make the slightest mistake at the dinner table today, I will play those 'flirtatious' voice messages you sent me back then on public in front of Wanqing."

Zhu Xun Chuan was startled.

What the hell!

The patriarch who took him to meet his parents wasn't leading him to his parents' home; he was clearly leading him into a poisonous powder keg named Shen Shuzhu!

At that moment, Meng Wanqing's clear voice came from the backyard:

"Xun Chuan? Auntie? Aren't you finished talking? My dad's here!"

Shen Shuzhu giggled and quickly pecked Zhu Xunchuan on the chin. Then she pushed him away, straightened her disheveled cheongsam, and resumed her dignified and intellectual demeanor as an elder.

"Let's go, Zhu. Don't keep your father-in-law waiting."

Zhu Xun Chuan stood there, watching her swaying figure from behind, then touched the lingering warmth on his chin, with only one thought in his mind:

Is it too late to cremate him now?